Money Moves: Moolah Kicks Reveals a Collaboration With Stanley, a Rebrand and Two New Basketball Shoes
Although young, Moolah Kicks has quickly become a go-to brand for women basketball players. Its newest moves should earn the brand even more fans.
The by women, for women performance basketball brand announced a collaboration with Stanley on Friday. The collaboration, Moolah stated, is Stanley’s first with a footwear brand.
Moolah reimagined the Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler, available in 30 oz and 40 oz sizes, as well as the 24-ounce IceFlow Flip Straw Bottle. They are all dressed vibrant swirl and cool turquoise colors with chrome details, made to match Moolah’s shoes.
“We want to make sure that we’re focusing on all things performance, full circle for the athlete,” Moolah Kicks founder and chief executive officer Natalie White told FN. “It makes sense for us because Stanley is a legendary brand that definitely knows the playbook on getting hot this day and age, and so does women’s basketball, so it makes sense from a trend standpoint. It also makes sense because Stanley has a fantastic product. It performs on what it promises, and we have the same thing at Moolah.”
She continued, “The hope is that together, we have footwear that allows players to play their best and then we have drinkware to mash it, so that when players are playing they can have a cool sip of water mid game.”
The Moolah Kicks x Stanley Quencher H2.0 FlowState Tumbler retails for $45 for the 30 oz and $45 for the 40 oz, and the collaborative 24-ounce IceFlow Flip Straw Bottle comes with a $45 price tag.
Moolah’s collaboration with Stanley will be available exclusively via Dick’s Sporting Goods.
“We are consumer-obsessed and are constantly striving to find ways to engage with them in more places within their lives. Teaming up with Moolah for a first-of-its-kind collaboration gave us the unique opportunity to provide outstanding female athletes with hydration gear that is innovative, useful and elevates their style on and off the court,” Stanley North America general manager Jon Hanson said in a statement.
Along with the Stanley collaboration, Moolah has revealed two new court-ready silhouettes for fall 2024: the Neovolt Pro v2 and the Press Break v2. Both models, Moolah explained, were built to biomechanically fit the female foot form, reducing the break-in period and reducing the risk of knee, ankle and leg injury. This is what Moolah refers to as its “no break in, no burn” fit.
The Neovolt Pro v2, the brand explained, is mid-top shoe that offers custom comfort through its webbing lacing system. Also, Moolah added notched wings to accommodate ankle braces and utilized engineered mesh on the uppers for breathability.
It will debut in seven colorways — black, white, red, blue, red/aqua, orange/pink and gray — and retail for $125.
“I have loved playing in my Neovolt Pros and credit their performance to helping my team make the playoffs this year,” Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams said in a statement. “The Neovolt Pro v2s are even better and demonstrated how Moolah Kicks continues to up its game for female ballers.”
As for the Press Break v2, which Moolah’s shoe for young girls, the brand will release four colorways: black/gold, orange/pink, red/aqua and white.
Moolah described the shoe as mid-top, with ankle support provided by a foam molded collar and airflow from its air mesh tongue. The look was also made with durability in mind, including the addition of a TPU toe cap to its woven uppers, as well as a new high abrasion rubber compound for the outsole.
The Press Break v2 will release in sizes 3.5Y to 7Y and retail for $90.
Both models will arrive Oct. 18 — high school and college basketball season — both in-store and online via Dick’s Sporting Goods, as well as on Moolahkicks.com.
In addition to the Stanley collaboration and two new models, Moolah has also revealed a rebrand, which includes a new logo that will be featured into the design of each model. The new logo, the brand explained, depicts a ball and net that forms the letter “M” for Moolah at the bottom of the net.
The rebranding, however, is much more than a new logo.
“How the rebrand will look to the consumer is a new logo and clearer messaging,” White said. “But now, we have a very clear brand guide that plays into our new mission and brand architecture, which is very clearly to elevate, see and celebrate women’s basketball. Every single thing we do, internally and externally, that is the focus and the order of importance.”
This rebrand, White explained, includes elevating all of its shoes, which Moolah has done with the two new aforementioned styles. “The most important thing is they are allowing female hoopers to perform at the highest level,” she said.
Also, White stated Moolah will work to communicate that the brand is for athletes of all levels, whether that’s someone playing Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) basketball in fifth grade or Williams on the WNBA court. “It’s about highlighting all of these different communities, rather than just one note of what women’s basketball looks like,” White said.
And in terns of celebrating, White said it will continue to reinvest into women’s basketball as it has, including more equipment or financial opportunities via marketing and sponsorship for female athletes.
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.